Vacuum tube socket



Oct. 21,- 1941. s. M. DEL CAMP VACUUM TUBE SOCKET Filed Dec. 17, 1958 2,Sheets-Sheet 1 Iii/20 I Invenivn' efav' 1107216 A!- .DeZ Car/1 22 Patented Oct. 21, 1941 VACUUM TUBE SOCKET Scipione M. Del Camp, Maywood, Ill., assignor to Cinch Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 17, 1938, Serial No. 246,408 I 5 Claims.

This invention relates to sockets and more especially to sockets for use in combination with radio vacuum tubes.

One object of my invention is the provision-of a socket having a shielding means adapted for use with a vacuum tube in which the leads, including the control grid terminal, end at thebase of the tube. The shielding means is disposed in a way to provide a wall interposed between the leads and connected to a ground such as the radio chassis. The construction of my improved device is particularly useful for shielding the lead connection of the grid from the lead connection of the plate.

Another object of my invention is to provide a contact spring, the purpose of which is to receive a, lead pin in electrical connection with the metal envelope of a' so-called all-metal tube" for grounding the metal envelope.

Another object of my invention is the provision of conducting means carried by the socket electrically connecting the shielding means with the contact spring for receiving the metal envelope grounding pin so as to bring all ground connections together at a common point.

A further object relates to means electrically connecting the shielding devices with a chassis of a radio set so as to ground the devices.

Other objects and uses of my invention will be apparent from inspection of the drawings and specification hereinbelow set forth.

Referring to the drawings, in which I have illustrated preferred forms of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my first form of improved socket member;

. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the socket member shown in Fig. l';'

Fig. 3 is a side view of my first form of socket member;

Fig. 4 is a top view of my first form of socket member before attachment of theuppev insulating plate so as to show the relative position of parts of my improved device;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 55 of Fig.- 1 and showing the socket member secured to a supporting panel;

Fig. 6 is a top view. of a second form of my invention;

Fig. 7 is a bottom .view of the socket shown in Fig. 8 is a side plan view of the socket member shown inFigs. 6 and 7;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of my second form of socket member with .the upper plate removed; and

Fig. 10 isa sectional view along the line l0-'I0 of Fig. 6 and showing the socketmember secured to a supporting panel.

Referring to the first form of myinvention as illustrated in Figs. 1-5 of the drawings, I have shown a socket which includes an insulating base comprising an upper plate I and a lower plate 2 formed of suitable insulating material. Contact springs 3 are carried by the insulating base for receiving contact pins of a cooperating vacuum tube (not shown) and the plates l and 2, together with the contacts 3, are held together by a metal retainer member 4. The'retainer member 4 has a dished body portion 5 having flanges 66 at opposed ends which are apertured to receive rivets 1 whereby the retainer member may be secured in direct electrical connection to a metal panel 8 (Fig. 5), which may be the chassis of a radio set, without resorting to soldering. The. body portion 5 of the retainer member has lug portions 9 in clamped engagement with the top surface of the insulating plate 2 for holding the parts of the socket member in assembly.

The upper plate I has, in my preferred form, a central non-circular aperture In in alignment with a similarly-shaped aperture ll of the plate 2. In conjunction with the apertures l0 and II I have provided a central metal member l2,

which may be similar to that illustrated and deface of the plate 2, and the end of the rivet'l2 f opposed to the apron I3 is turned outw ardly't'o form a flange l5 engaging the upper, surface of the plate I, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5 Thus, by reason of engagement of the shoulder l4 and flange I5 with the respective plates 2 and I, the metal member is securely fixed to the socket base. In the absence of the retainer member 4, the metal member I2 may provide the only means holding the plates l and 2 together before attachment of the socket to a sup .port. One purpose of the metal member I2" is to provide a guide for receiving a central guide pin of a vacuum tube (not shown) having a shape conforming to the cross-sectional shape of the hollow member thereby to locate lead pins (not shown) of the tube with proper contacts 3. The apron I3 also serves as a shielding means between certain contacts 3, as will be hereinafter described. It should be understood, however, that I do not wish to be limited by a metal member having the apron I3, as shown in the drawings, as the rivet portion I2, in the absence of the apron, would act as a suitable shielding means in many cases.

The bottom plate 2 has a series of contactreceiving apertures I6 arranged in a circle around the central aperture II, and the top plate I has a series of pin-receiving apertures I'I arranged in a circle and in alignment with the contact-receiving apertures I6. Each of the contact springs 3, in the preferred farm of my invention, is preferably formed to have a substantially tubular contact-receiving portion I8 projecting through an aperture I6 of the bottom plate to a position beyond the lower side ofthe bottom plate. The pin-receiving portions I8 have laterally-extending means such as the supporting ears I9 (Fig. 4) disposed between the plates I and 2 and limiting axial movement of the pin-receiving portion I 3 through the aperture I6.

As a means for grounding to the chassis the.

metal member I2 and one of the contact springs, hereinafter designated by the letter A", which has for its function to receive a tube pin which is in electrical connection with the metal envelope of a metal tube, I have provided a conductingstrip 20. The conducting strip 20, as most clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, comprises a relatively fiat portion 2I disposed in adjacent relation to the upper surface of the insulating plate 2 and having an aperture 22 in alignment with an aperture I6 of the plate 2. A lug 23 is provided at one end of the plate 2| which extends from the plate in integral angular relation thereto. The lug 23 projects into the opening I I of the base 2 and is in engagement with the metal member I2 when the metal member is in final fixed relation with the socket, thus establishing electrical connection between the metal member. and the conducting strip.

. An opposite end of the portion 2I from that having the lug 23 is provided with an integral bookshaped portion 24 clamped over the outer peripheral edge of the plate 2 and in electrical engagement with the dish-shaped portion of the metal retainer when the parts of the socket are in assembled relation, as most clearly shown in Fig. 5. As a result of this construction, the metal member I2 is grounded through the conducting strip and the metal retainer member 4 to the panel a 8 of the radio chassis. In order that certain leads of the vacuum tube may be grounded to a common point, the contact spring A is preferably assembled with the socket member so as to be electrically engaged with the conducting strip 20. This'is accomplished through projecting the pinreceiving portion I8 of the contact A through the aperture v22 .of the conducting strip and the corresponding aligned aperture I6 of the plate 2 with the result that the supporting ears I9 of the socket contact A electrically engage the outer surface of the portion 2I of the conducting strip adjacent the aperture 22 (Figs. 4 and 5). The.

that the metai'member' I2,

due to its physical construction, act a shield by reason of the fact that it stands as an obstruction between certain of the contact springs and as a result maintains a very low. grid-to-plate capacitanee even though the leads are relatively close together. The conducting strip 20 is constructed in a way to effect the shortest possible path for grounding the shield to the radio chassis. Furthermore, the electrical connection between the contact spring A and the conducting strip 20 provides a simple and inexpensive method for grounding the envelope of a metal tube to the chassis.

Referring to the second form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 6-10, I have shown a shielded socket which differs from my first form of socket, particularly by the fact that it has no metal retainer member for carrying out the purposes of the retainer member 4 of my first form of socket. My second form of socket includes an insulating base secured directly to a metal supporting panel and a conducting means carried by the base adapted to be soldered directly to the metal supporting panel for grounding the shielded connections.

My second form of socket includes a base comprising upper and lower plates 25 and 26 formed of suitable insulating material. Contact springs 21 are carried by the-base for receiving suitable pin leads (not shown) of the vacuum tube. A contact spring, hereinafter designated as "B", for receiving a tube pin in electrical connection with the metal envelope of the tube for grounding the same, is carried by the socket and differs in construction from the contact springs 21, as will be described. The insulating plates 25 and 26 have registering apertures 28 at opposite ends for re ceiving rivets 28" (Fig. 10) or other suitable attaching means whereby the socket base may be secured to a metal supporting panel 29. The upper plate has a central non-circular aperture 30 in registering relation with a similarly-shaped aperture 30 of the lower plate 26 (Fig. 10). A metal member or shielding means, adapted, in my preferred construction, to provide an obstructing wall between certain of the contacts 21 in the manner of the'shielding means I2 of the: first form of my invention, is secured to the socket base within the apertures 30 and 33'.

rule 3| having a cross-sectional shape conforming with that of the apertures 30 and 3II whereby it also serves as a locating guideand'is adapted to receive a guide prong of a vacuum tube which is of corresponding cross-sectional shape. The ferrule II is passed through the apertures 30 and 30 and is headed over at its opposite ends to.

' with my first form of socket, would effect a similar result. The lower plate 23 has a circular series of apertures 32 for receiving pin-receiving portions of the contact springs 21, and the upper plate 25 has a. series of pin-receiving apertures 33 in registry with the apertures 32 of the plate 26.

Each of the contacts 21 has a substantially tubular pin-receiving portion 33 extended through an aperture 32 of the plate 26 and supporting means integral with the portion 34 in the form of ears 35 disposed in adjacent relation to the upper The Y shielding means is in the form of a rivet-like fersurface of the plate 26. A terminal lug 36 extends from the portion 34 through an openingv 32 of the plate 26. As a means for grounding the ferrule 3|, I have provided, in my second form of socket device, a conducting strip 31 comprising a flat portion 38 in adjacent relation to an upper surface of the plate 26 and having an aperture 39 inalignment with an aperture 32 of the plate 26 (Fig. An integralhook-shaped portion 40 at one end of the flat portion 38 is extended into the aperture 30 of the plate 26 and clamped over the lower surface of the plate. Thus the hook-shaped portion 40 is engaged with nection having the shortest possible path from leads to ground.

It will be understoodthat modifications and. alterations of the shielded sockets hereinabove described may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention. Therefore, although I have illustrated and described pre- 3 ferred forms of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby because the scope thereof is best the ferrule 3| when the parts of the socket are in set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A socket comprising, in combination, a pair of superposed insulating plates having a metal central hollow member, a plurality of socket contact members assembled with said plates in a series around said central hollow member, a conducting strip disposed between said insulating plates in electrical engagement with said hollow member and one of said socket contacts, and means maintaining said conducting strip in said electrical engagement with said parts.

2. A socket comprising, in combination, a pair of superposed insulating plates secured within a of the metal envelope of the tube for grounding the envelope, but, also, to connect electrically the conducting strip with the panel 29 so as to ground the shielding means 3|. The contact spring B, in my preferred form, has a substantially tubular pin-receiving portion 4| at one end extended through the aperture 39 of the conducting strip and the aligned aperture 32 of the plate 26. Supporting cars 42 (Figs. 9 and 10) project from one .end of the pin-receiving portion 4| and are disposed between the insulating plates 25 and 26 in ing strip to establish electrical connection between the contact B and the strip. A pair of lugs 45 (Fig. 7) may be struck from the tail adjacentan end of the portion 44 and extended into the aperture 32 (Fig. 10) so as to aid in maintaining the contact spring B in fixed position. An opposite end of the tail 43 from that joined to the pin-receiving portion 4| has a soldering portion 46 projected slightly above the normal plane of the tail 43 and adapted to be soldered to the under surface of the metal panel 29, as at C (Fig. 10). The upper insulating plate 25, which is clamped rigidly to the lower plate 26 by means of the metal ferrule 3I, serves to maintain the contact spring B in electrical engagement with the conducting strip 31.

Thus it will be seen by my second form of invention that the ferrule 3|, which acts as a shielding means between certain contact springs in the manner of the member l2 of the first form of my invention, is grounded to the chassis of th radio set through the conducting strip and the portion 44 of the contact B engage the conductcontact spring B. At the same time the contact spring serves to ground the metal envelope of the tube to the chassis. Also, as a result of my invention, all the grounding connections of the socket are brought to a commonpoint so as to effect a simple and inexpensive shielded device. Furthermore, I have provided a grounding con- 3. A socket comprising, in combination, upper and lower insulating plates secured to a metal retainer, said plates having a registering series of contact apertures and registering guide apertures, contact members carried by 'said plates, each of said contact members having a prong-receiving portion extending into an aperture of said lower plate and a mounting portion overlying said lower plate adjacent said respective aperture for supporting said contact, a fiat con-. ducting strip disposed between said upper and lower plates, said strip having a portion at one end disposed within at least one of said guide apertures, a portion at the other end in electrical engagement with said retainer member and a portion intermediate said ends having an opening in alignment with a contact aperture of said lower plate and receiving the prong-receiving portion of one of said contact members. the mounting means of said last-mentioned contact being disposed in superposed adjacent relation t said conducting strip whereby said contact and said conductingv strip are electrically connected together, and a metal member secured in said guide apertures in electrical engagement with said portion of said conducting strip extended into said guide aperture.

4. A socket installation comprising, in combination, a socket comprising upper and lower superposed insulating plates having a registering series of contact apertures and registering guide apertures. a metal hollow member secured within said guide apertures, socket contacts carried by said plates having prong-receiving portions extended into said contact apertures of said lower plate, a flat conducting strip disposed between said insulating plates having an aperture in alignment with one of said contact apertures and a portion in electrical engagement with said hollow member, said conducting strip receiving the prong-receiving portion of one of said socket contacts through its aperture, means electrically connecting said conducting strip and said lastmentioned socket contact, and said last-mentioned socket contact having means whereby it may be electrically connected with another part.

5. A socket installation comprising, in combination, a. metal supporting panel, a. socket mem ber secured to said panel, said socket comprising upper and lower superposed insulating plates having a registering series of contact apertures and registering guide apertures, a metal hollow member secured in said guide apertures, a conducting strip disposed between said insulating plates having an opening in alignment with one of said contact apertures and a portion in electrical engagement with said hollow member, contact members carried by said plates, each of which has a prong-receiving portion extending into an aperture of said lower plate, said conducting strip receiving the prong-receiving portion of one of said contacts through its opening, said last-mentioned contact having means in electrical engagement with said conducting strip and a tall portion extending beyond the outer edges oi SCIPIONE M. DEL CAMP. 

